"You get a little variety, and everybody's a unique driver. They're usually young, so the conversation's a little more livelier," said Shadyside resident Todd Smith, who has used both Lyft and the competing ride sharing service uberX.

The two services may be new to Pittsburgh, but they're already big in other cities, like San Francisco, where both began.

Smith, a Pittsburgh native, has used Lyft and uberX in San Fransisco and in his hometown. He has the apps for both services on his phone, which are used to summon a ride and to pay electronically.

Those from traditional transportation companies are wary of the new services.

"These (ride-sharing personal) cars here, you don't know who you're getting in with," said George Coull, a Yellow Cab driver.

"The biggest problem is, we have a huge safety issue. Their drivers aren't qualified. They operate without the proper insurance," said Jamie Campolongo, president and CEO of Pittsburgh Transportation Group, the parent company of Yellow Cab.

Pittsburgh Transportation Group and the competing Star Transportation group want the city to pass an ordinance to empower Pittsburgh police to cite and fine the ride-sharing drivers.

Traditional taxi operators are certified and licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The new riding sharing services are not. The PUC warns that both the services and their drivers could be subject to citations and fines from the state.

"It's this disregard for the law. And this arrogance that they just come in and they set up shop, and they start working. We're held to the highest standards, and these guys come in like carpetbaggers," said Campolongo.

"The concerns that the taxi companies have are just outdated laws that will change, because when there's a demand, there should be a supply," said Smith.

"Despite being Lyft's newest market, we have already seen a very positive response from Pittsburgh community members, who see Lyft as an additional transportation option that is safe, affordable and reliable," Lyft spokesperson Paige Thelen responded to WTAE Channel 4 Action News via email. She said the company looked forward "to continuing the conversation around Lyft's peer-to-peer business model and commitment to safety."

"As of 5 p.m. last night, we launched our beta testing phase for uberX with ridesharing," said uberX spokesperson Nairi Hourdajian, who also responded by email.

"We see tremendous opportunity in Pittsburgh. for some time, residents and visitors have been trying to open the app and get a ride -- speaking to huge consumer demand for more transportation options. With the large college student population and limited public transportation options, Pittsburgh has all the markings of a city where Uber will have a serious impact on riders and drivers alike."

WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. A CAR SHARING SERVICE BREWING IN PITTSBURGH. A CAR WILL POP UP AND TAKE YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DOWNLOAD AN APP ON YOUR CELL PHONE. TAXI COMPANIES IN THE CITY ARE NOT HAPPY. BOB MAYO IS HERE TO EXPLAIN. Reporter: THESE RIDE SERVICES SAY IT'S LIKE FRIENDS RIDING FRIENDS. THE TRADITIONAL TAXI COMPANIES SAY THAT'S NOT ONLY NOT SAFE IN THEIR OPINION. THEY SAY IT VIOLATES THE LAW. YELLOW CAB AND OTHER STATE REGULATOR SERVICES HAVE BEEN ON PITTSBURGH STREETS FOR YEARS. DRIVERS FOR THE RIDE-SHARING SERVICE LIFT STICK A BIG PINK MUSTACHE IN THE FRONTS OF THEIR PERSONAL CARS AS YOU SEE IN THESE PROMOTIONAL IMAGES FROM THEIR WEBSITE. THEY HAVE A LITTLE VARIETY, AND EVERYBODY IS A UNIQUE DRIVER, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ARE USUALLY YOUNG, SO THE CONVERSATION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIVELIER. Reporter: LIFT AND A COMPETING SERVICE UBER X ARE NEW TO PITTSBURGH AND BIG IN OTHER TIMES LIKE SAN FRANCISCO. SMITH HAS APPS FOR BOTH SERVICES ON HIS PHONE. THEY ARE WHAT YOU USE TO SUMMON A RIDE AND PAY ELECTRONICALLY. WE RODE ALONG WITH A YELLOW CAB DRIVER WHO IS WARY OF THESE NEW SERVICES ON PITTSBURGH STREETS. THESE CARS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO YOU'RE GETTING IN WITH. Reporter: JAMIE CAMPALONGO WANTS THE CITY TO FIND AND CITE THE RIDE-SHARING DRIVERS. WE HAVE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUES. THEIR DRIVERS AREN'T QUALIFIED. THEY OPERATE WITHOUT THE PROPER INSURANCE. Reporter: TRADITIONAL TAXI OPERATORS ARE CERTIFIED AND LICENSED BY THE STATE PUC. THE NEW RIDE-SHARING SERVICES ARE NOT. IT'S THIS DISREGARD FOR THE LAW, YOU KNOW, IN THE AREAS THEY COME IN AND SET UP SHOP AND START WORKING, AND THEN WE'RE HELD TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, AND THESE GUYS COME IN LIKE CARPET BAGGERS. THE CONCERNS THAT THE TAXI COMPANIES HAVE ARE JUST OUTDATED LAWS, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL CHANGE BECAUSE WHEN THIS THERE'S A DEMAND THERE SHOULD BE A SUPPLY. Reporter: THESE RIDE-SHARING SERVICES SAY THEY ARE NOT COVERED BY THE CURRENT PENNSYLVANIA LAW. PUC IS TELLING ME IT FEELS THEY ARE AND COULD ENFORCE BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES AGAINST